Acts chapter 3, and the title
of the message is, The Beautiful Day of Grace. The Beautiful Day
of Grace. In Acts chapter 3 and verse 1,
we see the Apostle John and Peter going up to the temple at the
hour of prayer being the ninth hour. This was the hour of the
evening oblation, the evening sacrifice. At this time the temple
was still functioning. The sacrifices were still being
offered and they had not yet been put away. But that was for
our benefit. It was for our benefit concerning
this picture that's here before us, because it is a picture of
the gospel. And so here, as they were coming to the temple, we
read in verse 2, a certain man, lame from his mother's womb,
was carried and laid daily at the gate of the temple, which
is called Beautiful. To ask alms of them that entered
into the temple, who seeing Peter and John about to go into the
temple, ask alms. Peter fastening his eyes on them
with John said, Look on us. And he gave heed to them, expecting
to receive something. And Peter said, Silver and gold
have I none, but such as I have, give I unto thee. In the name
of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. And he took
him by the hand, right hand, and lifted him up. And immediately
his feet and ankle bones received strength, And he leaping stood
up and walked and entered into the temple, walking and leaping
and praising God. A beautiful day. Don't you think
that guy thought that was a beautiful day? It was a beautiful day. And we'll see here in a minute
that it was more than just a beautiful day for his physical healing. It was a day that Peter was able
then to preach the gospel and that's where I'm going to take
my text from is verse nineteen when he begins to tell them his
gospel message repent ye therefore and be converted for your that
your sins may be blotted out when the time of refreshing shall
come from the presence of the Lord." Now, the healing of this
lame man at the temple gate, notice what the gate is called.
It is called beautiful. It's called beautiful. And truly,
this work of God's grace in this man's life was beautiful. Was
it not? It was to him. This beautiful
healing of this lame man took place at this gate for a reason.
And I want you to realize that this word beautiful means timely. Timely. Seasonably. Spring's on us here. Spring is
approaching or is here. And what do we expect from spring?
We expect the timely blooming. of flowers. We expect the timely
blooms on the trees to take place in their season. Even so, believer,
it is the season of grace. We live in a time and a season
of grace in which, which is beautiful,
which is timely for the healing of lame dead sinners it is a
beautiful time we live in we live in a season of grace and so by this man the Lord here
would have him healed for this purpose that he should picture
our healing that he should picture the day, the timely season of
grace of every one of us. And so as we go through this
text, I know this, you believers in Christ, when you see this,
you automatically identify with this man. You identify, even
though you've not been lame on your feet, you identify with
the spiritual condition that this man portrays. And he pictures. And so, first
of all, the nature of this man at the beautiful gate. As this
man lay at the gate, which is called beautiful, lame on his
feet from his mother's womb. This was important. Why do you
suppose the Holy Spirit put that in there? He could have just
said he was lame, couldn't he? He could have just said, well, the
man was crippled. But He didn't just put that in there. He specified
as to when this man was crippled. This man was crippled from his
birth, from his mother's womb. Even so, God has purposed... God shows us the nature of all
God's elect. That we are of Adam's fallen
and lame race from our mother's womb. David said this, In sin
did my mother conceive me. Now his mother didn't sin when
she conceived him. But it was in sin, the fact that
she and her husband were sinners, that his seed was of the seed
of Adam and a sinful race. And so death passed upon all
men. And so sin was passed. Scripture
says that the wicked are estranged from the womb speaking lies. A little beautiful baby you just
saw in here. You're not going to teach her
to lie. You just don't have to. She's going to know how to do
that automatically. Because that's our nature from
our mother's womb. And there he is. You see this
lame man then? He's laying there at the temple
gate. At the gate called Beautiful.
He's laying there, begging for money. He's dependent upon the
gifts of others entering in the temple. And you can't help but
see the contrast. You see the beautiful gate. And
you see the wretched, lame man. You see the contrast between
the two. Is that not a contrast between
us and God? There's God. Altogether lovely, says Song
of Solomon. That's what the bride says about
the bridegroom. He is altogether lovely. He is
holy. He is pure. He is just. He is
righteous. And we are not. Everything God
is, we are not. Complete opposites in the spectrum. We are full of sin, misery, wretchedness,
unholy, unrighteous, ungodly. And therefore, we, like this
man, he's lame. So what is that showing us? He
cannot enter in. It was a time of the oblation.
It was a time where God was to picture Christ. It was a time
where God would meet with men. Where God should pardon sin.
And this man could by no power of his own enter in. He couldn't
enter in. Why? He was lame. This man was
crippled. Imagine somebody walking by this
man at the gate, beautiful and said, hey, won't you come on
in? Come on, come with me. There's the oblation. It's time
for the sacrifice. God's going to picture his son.
Come on in. Let's see it together. Invite
him all you want to. He can't come. Has no power of
his own to come in. Isn't that what Jesus said of
us? Jesus said no man can come to
me. These are not complicated words. You don't have to be a theologian
to understand this. No man can come to me. That's
ability. No man is able to come to me. Except the Father which has sent
me draw him. There's no way for that man to
enter into that gate except somebody carry him. Except somebody lift
him up and bring him in. He cannot come in. He has no
power to come in. That's man by nature. And except
God the Father draw you, except God the Father give you strength,
you can by no means come to Christ. That's how lame you are. That's
how lame we are by nature. Therefore, seeing we are in this
same condition by nature, we cannot carry anyone in. You have two, say you had two
lame men sitting at that gate. They're both as helpless as the
other. The one couldn't carry the other, nor the other could
carry him. I can't carry you in, and you can't carry me in. You see, we're both lame on our
feet. Both lame on our feet. So someone who has power. The only way we're getting in
is if somebody has power to get us in. Notice also that this
man had no desire. Why was he there? Was he there
for the sacrifice? Was he there for the oblation?
Was he there to see God? Did he have any interest in getting
in? No. The only interest this man
had was his physical needs. He was a beggar and this is what
he had done since his youth. He had laid at the gate of beautiful
begging. Begging. He laid at that gate
and asked alms, the scripture says in verse 2. To ask alms,
that's why he was there. He wanted money. See the scene before you, the
lame man begging of money at the very gate of God. Not desiring
to enter in having no need of forgiveness, having no spiritual
need of healing, only desiring the riches of the world. And I'll tell you this, he didn't
expect it either. He didn't want it, he couldn't
go in, and he didn't expect to go in. what a picture of us by nature
we're always sitting at the at the gate of god receiving benefits
from him and his people you know why any lost man gets anything
in this world he gets it from those who are going to worship
god he's good he's getting it because of god blessing his people
that's it the only reason the wicked get anything we were looking
for that piece of property the other day and uh... You know,
I'm thinking about this. Wicked men are just leasing this
world. It's really all ours. They're just squatters. They're
just sitting on it. It's really ours. And God says,
I'm just not going to give it to you in this condition. I'm
going to make it better before I give it to you. So, really,
all things belong to believers, and so what are lost men doing
but receiving crumbs? That's what we were doing. We
were receiving crumb blessings. from those that were going into
the temple. And so that's what this man was
doing. He had no desire to go in. Listen, some of you this
morning, as I'm preaching to you, I want you to understand
you're sitting at the gate beautiful. You're sitting there. Every time the gospels preach,
this is the beautiful gate. This is the day of grace. Today
is the day of salvation. Some of you are sitting at the
gate and you, like this man, have no interest in the things
of God. You desire the world, you desire
your sin and the things of this present world. But, I tell you this, there is
hope for you. Even though you have no desire,
you have no interest, and you don't have any ability, there's
still hope. There's still hope. There's hope
for you because there was hope for this man. This man is a picture
of hope. This man is a beacon of hope.
This man, he went there that day not expecting or desiring
any of this. And he received it anyway. It was a beautiful day. It was
an appointed day. It was a seasonal day that God
purposed to give this to this man and he didn't expect it.
He went there just like every other day. This man didn't ask
for it, he didn't desire it, but God in grace and power gave
it to him anyway. Even so it is with salvation
of sinners. That's how God saves sinners. They come in not wanting
it, not needing it, and all of a sudden God saves them. That's
the way it works. That's grace. I'll take two from
a city and one from a family. Why is it you're saved and the
person next to you not? Grace. That's it. God set a day
for your grace and he saved you. That's it. It's all of grace.
And we, by nature, are lame, unable, and unwilling to come
to Christ, though we see others go in all the time. This man
saw people going into that temple every single day. He saw them
going in, but he had no interest, not until God gave him strength
to go in. Even so, now, sinner, as you
sit at the gate of grace, you may not have any interest, but
I'll tell you, in the day of His power, you will. When He
comes, you will. And there's nothing you can do
about it. Isn't that amazing? There's nothing
you can do about it. When God sets out to save a sinner,
He is as the hound of heaven. He always gets His man. Always
gets His man. When He sets out to save him. And I tell you this, even now
as you sit at the gate, I tell you this, I'm bound for the promised
land. Who will come and go with me?
I'm bound for the promised land. Jesus, my Savior, has redeemed
me, and all my soul rests on Him. Every weight of my salvation
rests upon Jesus' accomplished work and redemption. Everything
depends upon Him. I was lame on my feet. I sat
at the gate beautiful, begging alms of sin. But I tell you this,
God came and gave me more. He gave me grace. He gave me
strength. He gave me faith. And I'm still
coming because He gives me faith today. Will you come and go with me? Why will you not come in? Do you need strength? Do you
need power to come? It is my prayer today that God
would even give you strength to come. Strength of faith to
believe on Christ. That God would draw you to Christ
and heal your lame soul. Now look what Peter says. When
he was at the gate begging alms, he thought to receive something
of Peter. Peter and them said, look on us. I tell you, look
on me. Listen to my message. And he
was expecting something carnal. And Peter says, I ain't got any
of that. Don't you imagine he's a little disappointed? I ain't
got any of that. Oh, man. Another deadbeat just
like me. Ain't got nothing. Silver and
gold have I none. Now, if you've come to me for
a carnal blessing, I've got none for you. I got nothing. I got no carnal blessings. We
have none. There's a bunch of liars out
there who tell you they got carnal blessings for you. Not me. I'm like Peter. We ain't got
nothing to give you. We ain't got nothing carnal for you here. There's
no entertainment value in this worship. Never. Not here to entertain
people. I'm not an entertainer. I'm just
a messenger. I do have this. Sinner, if you
do come to Christ, I will promise you not health, wealth, and prosperity,
but I will promise you this, in this world you will suffer.
Okay? I got that for you. If you want
that, I got that. Yeah. I promise you. Jesus, my
Savior, said in this world you shall have tribulation. But our hopes are not carnal. What I have to give you is not
carnal, it's spiritual. And that's more valuable because
everything carnal perishes. Spiritual things endure forever. They never grow old. They never
disappear. You see, we like Abraham are
strangers and pilgrims in this land. And Abraham was called
to faith not knowing where he's going. Y'all gonna leave? Or going home this afternoon? I don't know. Maybe you'll make
it home. I don't know where you're going.
You don't know where you're going. I don't know where I'm going. Not knowing where he went. Abraham
didn't know where he was going either. But we look for a city whose
builder and maker is God. Therefore, lame sinner, that
which I have, give I unto thee. That's what Peter said. Look
on me. I don't have anything carnal,
but what I have, I'll give you. Here it is. He said, in the name
of Jesus Christ, rise up and walk. What did he have? He had
the authority of God's Word. The authority. And I give you something that's
incorruptible, undefiled, that doesn't fade away, the Word of
God, the Gospel. That's what I have to give you
this morning. And it alone is the power of God that is able
to save you. It's the only thing. It's the
only thing God has chosen to save sinners. And the apostle
said, in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, rise up and walk. What
does that mean, in the name? You hear that, and people just
say it like it's a magical incantation. That's how a lot of people even
end prayers. In Jesus' name, amen. They just
throw it out there as though it's supposed to be at the end
of the prayer, and they have no clue why they say it, they
just say it. It's not an incantation. What it means is, by the authority
of Him who was crucified and now is risen to the throne of
God, He has given all authority and has given gifts unto men.
He is my authority to give you the gospel. By the authority
of Jesus Christ. Now the apostles, they were given
special authority to heal physical ailments. But that way has since
gone on. I don't have time to deal with
that, but you can see that in Acts chapter 8 when Philip could
not transfer gifts. And you remember that old wicked
man, Simon, he wanted what the apostles had. He wanted to be
able to buy the ability to transfer gifts. Anybody that wants that kind
of power, your money pairs with you. I don't have any time for
them. But those men, when they died
off, so did all those abilities and gifts die with him. But what were these abilities
and gifts for? Why was he healed? Why was this
lame man healed? He was healed to show the authority. to testify of the authority.
And since we preach the same Gospel, I don't need to heal
anybody to give you the authority. They already healed Him to give
you the authority. They already showed you they
have the authority. And since our Gospels are the
same, why do I need it? I don't need it. Peter's already
proved the authority of this Word by healing this man, so
I don't need it. Now, notice the reason of this
healing was to glorify and testify of the risen Christ. Now look
at verse 12. Peter, when he's in the temple,
and they're all wondering at Peter, they're going to Peter,
and Peter said, wow, Peter, wow, that's a good job. Man, that's
awesome. You healed that person. Peter
said, what are you saying? As though we had some power in
ourselves. As though we did anything. We
did nothing. We did nothing. We had no holiness
to make this man whole. But what did He testify of? He
said, Jesus whom you crucified and delivered and denied Him,
that's the one who healed this man. You see, it was a springboard. They were able to use the physical
healing in order to preach the gospel. You know, I see why the
gospel is elevated above healing. It was just a means by which
they could preach. and testify of the risen Christ. And these gifts of healing for
that purpose, to testify of Christ. And so I may not be able to heal
physical lameness, but I know this, I preach the same gospel,
and this gospel has the same power it had then. And the power
is not in me. That's good news for me, because
this is a heavy weight as it is to preach the gospel, but
the power of this gospel doesn't rest in my abilities. It doesn't
rest in my ability to convey even the message to you. I want
to do that as plainly as I can, but I know this, I have no power
to make it effectual. I have no power to raise you
up, except God give you faith. Except God give you faith in
this gospel. Now then, look at verse 19. See
the gospel then? He did all this to be able to
preach this gospel. And here it is, same gospel.
I'm preaching to you. Repent ye therefore. Repent. What does that mean?
It means a change of mind. Listen, you need a change of
mind. You need a change of mind concerning
how sinners are saved. Now, every man has a way. Every
man thinks they know how sinners are saved. But naturally, that
is wrong a hundred percent of the time. There is a way that
seemeth right unto a man. Go ask him. To them, it just
seems right that you got to go down in front of here, and you
got to do this ceremony, and you got to do that ceremony.
It just seems right. And they'll think you're crazy
if you tell them different. There's a way that seemeth right
unto a man, but the end thereof is the ways of death. Sinner, your way will only lead
you one place, to hell. Your way and your thoughts about
God will only lead you to hell. All your thoughts of how you
can please God are absolutely wrong. Even because there is
no way for you to merit God's favor by works. It's natural
for man to think he's got to earn it. It's natural. It's wrong, but it's natural.
That's the way all men think. There is no way for you to merit
God's favor, no way for you to be justified by the deeds of
the law, by ceremonies of the church, or even by your morality. Those things cannot save you. No matter how sincere you are,
and I'm telling you, those people are sincere. I tell you, I wouldn't do half
of what a Catholic would do. Man, that's tiring. That's tiring, standing up, sitting
down, standing up, sitting down, kneeling, making the cross 26,
27 times. I'd quit. That's just horrible. They're sincere, but they're
sincerely wrong. Why? Because all men are sold
under sin. That's why Paul said it doesn't
matter who you are, you're sold under sin. That's why in Isaiah
chapter 55, look over there. Look what God says about your
ways and your thoughts. Isaiah chapter 55 and verse 7. He said, let the wicked forsake
his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts. Why? His ways and
thoughts are wrong. His ways and thoughts will lead
him to hell. Let him forsake them and let
him return unto the Lord and he will have mercy upon him.
Return to our God and he will abundantly pardon. So when he
says, repent, what is he saying? He's saying, you need to completely
forsake everything you think about salvation. Well, my mom said, forget it.
I don't care what your grandpa said. Forget it. We must forsake
all we know and understand by nature and be chained to what
God says in His Word. That's it. The only one that
really matters is God, what He says. My opinion, you know I
don't like, I don't give you my opinion for a reason. It's
worthless. And I will give you my opinion. I will tell you what God says,
because that's the only thing that matters. And if what you
think and what you feel are contrary to God's Word, you should leave
them and run from them. You should repent of them, turn
from them, and turn to God. Notice, he says, therefore. When
the word therefore is in Scripture, you should look above it and
see what it's there for. Every time you read that word,
that's how you should read it. Repent. Why, Paul, should I repent? Therefore, because of what I
said before. What did he say before? Repent
and turn to Jesus Christ because He is the Messiah. That's what
he is talking about above this passage. He says, repent and
turn to Christ, whose blood alone can cleanse you from your sins. Seeing He has fulfilled all the
promises and prophecies of Scripture, repent and turn to Him who is
the Messiah. You see, Jesus came in the flesh,
who was from eternity the Son of God, even as God promised. You should repent because Christ
fulfilled the prophecies of Scripture. Because Christ is the Messiah. Because God was manifest in the
flesh. Why was God manifest in the flesh?
To show you the way of salvation. Your way and your thoughts were
wrong. Who's going to show me the right
way? Christ came to show you the right way. Why? Because He
is the right way. He Himself is the right way. He came. He is God manifest in
the flesh. And He came to His own. And what
was the result of His coming? They denied the Holy One, verse
14, the just, and desired a murderer. They killed the Prince of Life,
whom God raised from the dead. These Jews, Peter said, he said,
you rulers, you were ignorant. You were ignorant. You didn't
know this was the Prince of Life. You didn't know that He was the
Messiah. You were ignorant of these things.
You thought He was a blasphemer, and He was the only way of salvation,
and you crucified Him. But guess what? You did exactly
what God determined to be done. This was no accident. Peter was
saying the death of Christ was no accident. Look at this in
verse 18. He said, But those things which
God before showed by the mouth of His prophets, that Christ
should suffer. This was no accident. Christ
came to suffer and die. Those things which God beshowed
before by the mouth of His prophets, Christ has fulfilled. Look at
verse 22. And Peter here gives witness
to these prophets and what they showed. For Moses truly said
unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto
you of your brethren, like unto me. Him shall you hear in all
things whatsoever he shall say to you. You should repent because
Christ is that prophet. You should change your mind about
the way of salvation because Christ is that prophet that God
sent. Moses was a prophet. What did Moses reveal? Prophets
reveal things, right? Isn't that what they're there
for? God sends a man to reveal something. And Moses revealed
what? The law. Moses was a prophet
of the law. And God says, I'm going to send
a prophet like Moses. Not exactly like Moses. Because
Moses had a revelation of law. By the deeds of the law shall
no flesh be justified. Cursed is everyone that continueth
not in all things written in the book of the law to do them.
That sound like a good prophet? That sound like something you're
interested in? No, it's a prophet of condemnation. That was the
law. But Jesus Christ is a prophet not of condemnation, but grace. You should repent, therefore,
because Christ is not a prophet of law, but rather grace and
truth came by Jesus Christ. Law came by Moses, but grace
and truth came by Jesus Christ. I want you to see something about
grace and truth. They're opposed to one another. They're opposed. The truth is
you've sinned. That's true. The truth is you
deserve hell. That's true. The truth is that
God cannot and will not overlook your sin. That's true. So then how could God show mercy?
How could He be gracious? How can God be just and justify
the ungodly? Repent and turn your thoughts
around and believe because Jesus Christ is the answer. In him both truth and mercy are
met together. Righteousness and peace have
kissed each other. In Him, God can be just and the
justifier of the ungodly. How? Because God in mercy took
the sins of His people and gave them to Christ. He imputed them
to Christ. Charged them to Christ. And justice
was poured out in full. And God in mercy takes the righteousness
of Christ and charges it to you. This is why you should repent.
Because nothing you do can merit the favor of God. And Jesus Christ
has already obtained eternal redemption for us. You should
change your thoughts. Change them to where? To Christ.
You should turn to Christ. Because He is the fulfillment
of God's salvation. And He has from the beginning
represented all that the Father gave to Him. And so when He came in the flesh
as their surety, He was fully responsible to obtain salvation
for us. You should repent because Christ
obtained salvation for His elect. Scripture says, knowing that
a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith
of Jesus Christ. Even we have believed in Jesus
Christ. By His faith, He obtained salvation. By His faith. He obtained righteousness by
His obedience. And therefore, the righteousness
of God was obtained by Him in our stead. Repent your thoughts
of how to obtain righteousness and believe on Christ. Secondly,
He not only did that, He obtained our righteousness by His death.
His atonement for sin by His death. The law demanded blood. But the blood of bulls and goats
would never do. They were only a picture. Not by the blood of bulls and
goats, but by His own blood, He obtained eternal redemption. Therefore, sinner, repent from
your vain thoughts of self-righteousness and turn to Christ. And listen,
Paul says, be converted. Be converted. What it is to be
converted? That's to turn around. Change
your mind and then turn around. That is nothing more than faith
in Christ. You need to change your mind,
and if God changes your mind, you're going to turn. You'll
turn around. Go to Jeremiah 31, and I'll close
with this. Jeremiah chapter 31. Look at verse 18. This is one who has been given grace of God. God says this, I have surely
heard Ephraim bemoaning himself. Thou hast chastened me, this
is Ephraim speaking, Thou hast chastened me, and I was chastened,
as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke. Turn Thou me, and I
shall be turned, for Thou art the Lord my God. You not see
Ephraim's problem? He recognizes his sin, and he
knows he must turn, but he recognizes also this, I have no ability
to turn. So he's pleading before God,
turn me and I shall be turned. He's stripped of his sin. He's
surely, after that I was turned, I repented. And after that I
was instructed, I smote upon my thigh. I was ashamed. I was
even confounded because I did bear the reproach of my youth.
This is a man convicted of sin. This is a man who struggles in
his own heart against sin. This is a man converted. This
is a man turned. And notice what God says to a
man he turns. Verse 20. That word is in italics. It's not there. Listen to it.
Ephraim, my dear son. Not a question. Statement. Ephraim. My dear son, a pleasant
child. For since I spake against him,
I do earnestly remember him still. Therefore, my bowels are troubled
for him. And what is God going to do?
I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the Lord. The one who is turned. The one
who confesses his sin and turns to Christ alone. He said, I will
surely have mercy. Why? He's my son and I remember
him still. When did God ever forget his
children? He said, can a mother forget
her sucking child? Yeah. But I'll never forget you. Isn't that comforting? It is
to one who is converted. And notice what he says, Thy
sins shall be blotted out. That thy sins may be blotted
out. When we turn to Christ, we know
this is our confidence. That our sins have been blotted
out as a thick cloud. My sins fill the ledger books
of God. But now they're blotted out as
a thick cloud. You know how you write on a piece
of paper and somebody comes behind you and kind of do that pencil
trick where they can see what you wrote? No, God says it's
a thick cloud that you can't even do that. They'll never be
seen again. Why? The blood has paid for them
in full. They're blotted out as a thick
cloud and listen, And when the times of refreshing shall come
from the presence of the Lord. When is that? Every time this
gospel is repeated. It is a time of refreshing. It
is a beautiful day of grace. Every time. I hear it. My sins
are gone. My sins are gone. My sins are
gone. Christ is all. Christ is all. Christ is all. That thrills my
soul. It's a time of refreshing every
time I drink. And you know what? You can't
run out. It never runs out. It's a fountain
of never ceasing grace. God's saints exalt this thing. It is a time of refreshing. And this, Peter says, whom the
heavens must receive until the times of restoration of all things. Until that time, I want to hear
this gospel again and again to be refreshed. But there's coming
a time where I'm not going to need to be refreshed anymore.
There's going to be a time when I'm not going to be weary anymore
and need refreshing. Because the heavens must contain
Him until the time of restoration, until the beautiful day of grace
Till the morning sun arises and it breaks out into the day of
eternity. Right now, it's just a beautiful
day of grace. One day, it's going to be a beautiful
eternal day of grace. It was for this man. It is for everyone who repents
and believes on Christ. It's a beautiful day. It's a
beautiful day. Because God has saved us. And he will never leave you.
Or forsake you. Never. Never. You're my son. I remember you
still. And still. And still. May God ever give us grace to
hold fast to Christ. Let's stand. We'll have Scott
come.